Never say GoodBye
by AnonymousGhost123
Summary: A different look at what could have happened when Kate stormed the bank after the explosion. What will happen inside that will change their relationship forever? What does the future hold for them? Please don't forget to review!
1. Chapter 1

Kate ran into the bank, her heart pumping. The smell of explosives could still be smelt. It made her feel like expelling the breakfast she had eaten that morning.

"Castle!" she shouted repeatedly.

No answer. Did she just get her perfect partner killed? Had she just robbed a young teenager of her father by putting him in danger? She pictured Alexis going through the rest of her life without her father. Without her father to walk her down the isle one day. Everyday she had pulled him into crime scenes and into firefights with dangerous criminals. Everyday she had put his life in danger. Was this the last straw?

"Kate!" a gruff voice coughed out.

It was Castle. He was alive. Kate turned immediately towards the source of the voice. She ran as fast as she could; almost as if it was her family she was saving. She had already lost her mother, she couldn't stand losing another person she cared so dearly about.

There he was. Along with everyone else that had been in the bank when it had been robbed. He was covered in dust and dirt but, his cheeky smile was anything but, gone.

"Kate!" he exclaimed, "I was starting to think that you had forgotten about me."

"Never," she said, chuckling and looking deep into his eyes.

Kate captured this moment with every part of her brain that was still functioning after such a stressful day. She had managed to rescue her partner and she finally felt whole again. There was nothing missing. That part of her heart that had been left gaping since the morning was finally filled. The sensation was new to her. She hadn't cared about someone this much in a while. It was perfect.

"There are other people here, you know," a voice piped up next to Castle.

It was Martha. She was gesturing her hand towards Kate to be freed. Kate laughed at herself and looked at Castle who was shaking his head. He had also obviously also felt the moment. Kate moved towards Martha and cut her free. The other uniforms seemed to be handling the other hostages all right, so she felt it was right to debrief Castle.

"Even as a hostage I help you Kate," He stated. "I think you might just have found the perfect partner."

Kate laughed. She might have just done that. Castle was always there for her in every way. He was there as a friend, colleague and writer; always there for her.

"I think I might just have." Kate smiled back. This put an even bigger grin on Castle's face as well as boost his ego.

Their eyes caught each other and they held a stare. Castle smiled and it made Kate blush. She couldn't believe how much she had just gone through since the morning.

She had gone from doing paperwork to almost losing her partner. The thing that even surprised her more was the fact that she did so much to get her partner back safely. She had let her guard down and run into a building without support; just for Castle. Where had the Kate Beckett from three years ago gone? The one that had walls around her that could not be pulled down. The one that could not be distracted by anything? Was Castle the one? Was he the one that was meant to pull down those wall with her?

Her eyes were still lost in his when she saw it. It was Castle's face. The smile had dropped instantly out of nowhere. Kate dropped her smile as well. Had she done something? Was she making him feel uncomfortable?

"Castle, are you..." she started off.

That was as far as she got in her sentence. From that point on everything started to slow down. Castle ran in front of Kate and pushed her aside. She was dizzy and confused when she saw it. It was the man who orchestrated bank robbing. The man who let her into the bank to save a dying hostage. He was standing up, his medical scrubs covered in rubble and dirt. He had his gun pointing towards them. Kate realized it too late. _Bang, Bang, Bang. _Three bullets rang out in the air; the third bullet ringing out a bit later. The air from Kate's lungs were sucked out. The instant silence that swept the building was creepy. The shell casing of the three bullets could be heard falling on the floor. Kate inhaled a small breath. Then there was ten other shots that could be heard but, this time there was no silence. There was no sound of the casings hitting the floor. Just shouting.

For Kate it was still just silence. Then she saw Castle. He turned to face her, his face pale. No expression, no charming smile. It was then the room went quite for a second time. This time it went quite not because of loud gunshot but, a loud voice ringing out across the room. It was Kate.

"Castle!" she screamed tears coming to her eyes.

Castle was standing toward Kate, his hands clenching his stomach. Blood dripping down them. He looked down at his hands at then back to Kate. Castle's legs betrayed him as he fell to his knees.

Kate rushed over catching him before he fell on his back. Tears were now streaming down her face. She caught him in her arms. She looked into his blue eyes but, this time instead of seeing the confidence and charm she normally saw, she saw worry and death.

"Castle, I need you to stay with me," she quivered.

Kate wasn't even sure how she was managing to get her words out. This man, this wonderful man, had just come out of a hostage situation and had just taken three bullets so that she may live. He had been looking out for her since they had started to work together. Kate had already lost too many people that she cared about and she wasn't going to let life take away another person she cared about.

"I'm… I'm... so…" Castle started to push out.

"Shh," Kate pushed her fingered against his mouth.

"Don't. I just need you to stay with me." Kate managed to say between sobs.

Kate managed to pull her hands out from around Castle and put pressure on his wounds.

"Kate, I… need to tell… you something," Castle spat out.

Kate slowly nodded her head. Her face was red now, tears collapsing down the sides. There was no way that she was letting Castle die. She never admitted it but, she knew, always, that he was _the one._ The one that completed her, the one that would always be there. The one that would be there, forever.

"Always," she sobbed out.

Before Castle could even start his sentence, two officers had grabbed Kate by her arms and was holding her back. She started to kick and bite wanting to do nothing but, get Castle back into her arms and hold him tight. They were taking him. Taking _her_ castle away from her. They could do that that to her. She could faintly hear people saying that he would be fine but, she didn't trust anyone. Castle was the one to trust.

Before she knew it, he was on a stretcher and in the back of an ambulance. She could see him looking at her. His face was strained. He had wanted to tell her something important; she could tell. The doors to the ambulance closed and the uniforms that were holding her back let go.

She ran and ran. She pushed through the crowds that were around the bank. She didn't pay attention to anything else. She needed to get to that ambulance before it left with her life in it.

She was just to slow. The ambulance had already pulled away and was now roaring off. She had failed. She had blew the chance with her perfect partner. Not her detective partner, her _life partner. _It pained her to think that after this day, nothing would ever be the same between them. It also pained her that she never got to tell him the secret she was locking up deep inside of her. The one that she herself didn't even know until a few moments ago, when the most important thing in her life flashed before her eyes. _She loved him. _


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Three reviews was all I needed to continue the story. I wasn't even expecting to get any feedback. I am happy that there are people out there enjoying my stories. I am not sure whether I like this chapter. I feel like I could have done better but, anyhow I hope you like it. Enough of me, let the story continue!**

Kate had said it. _She loved him. _She loved Richard Castle. The man that had been her sidekick for three years. The man that was always annoying her and always pulling on her pigtails. The man that would bring her coffee every morning. _She loved him._ It felt so good to say that in her mind. It was a mental sigh of relief as she said it. She felt like the world was finally right. For the first time in her life, she had found the right man. The man that was meant to pull down her walls. The one that would always be there for her no matter what. The man, that she would hopefully spend her time with for the rest of her life. A small smile came to her mouth and the tears stopped.

Just as quickly as it had come, it left. The smile dropped from Kate's mouth as she came back to reality. She was once again aware of her surroundings. On her knees in the middle of a carpark. The loud media reporters and the loud sirens was all she could hear. That was all that her mind need to remember what had just happened.

She was staring into the back of a ambulance which was pulling away. In the back of it was the love of her life. The man that had just taken three bullets to save her life. The tears started to slowly come back; one by one dripping down her cheek and falling to the ground. His face was still a vivid memory in her mind. The face he had when he turned to face Kate after the three deadly shots. The incredibly sickening shade of white his face had turned. 'How could she have let this happened?' she asked herself. She had always been there with Rick, side by side, in every dangerous situation. She had always been there to protect him. What had happened this time? What made it so different?

Then, something changed. The Kate that was currently on the floor of the carpark, crying and vunerable, changed. No longer was she sad and miserable, she was furious. The Kate that had just learnt of her mothers death returned. The anger and motivation that she had once felt for finding her mother killers returned. This time it was different though. No longer was she finding the killers of her mother; she was finding the gunman that shot her love.

She stood up firmly, wiping the visibly tears from her eyes and cheeks. She took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. This was it. She wasnt going to let some thug in a bank robbery take away the man that she cared about the most. She turned around, and stormed back into the bank. She slammed the doors open and everyone stared. They all knew that a storm was coming.

"Where is he?" She shouted.

There was no answer, only blank faces staring back at her. No one dared to talk to her or calm her down.

"Where is he!" She shouted again but, this time with more force and authority.

No one answered. They all just stared back. Some just looked away as if her stare was going to kill them.

Lanie stepped forward and rested her hand on Kate's shoulder. Kate shot a deep questioning look at her. Kate could see Lanie saying 'no' with her eyes but, Kate shook her head. This was not the time to be calm and collected. She was going to find the son-of-a-bitch that had shot Castle. Lanie glanced to her left and it was then Kate knew where the bastard was. Without thinking twice, Kate marched off in that direction and pulled out her gun. She ejected her magazine and checked it. There were three bullets left. That was more than enough.

Kate bust open the door. There lay the scum. The man that had shot Castle lay on the floor being treated by paramedics.

"Out!" She ordered the paramedics. They left without a second thought.

He had only been shot in the arms and legs so that he may be kept alive and questioned. He was in a horrible condition and was bleeding out. She smiled to herself. She was going to make him suffer because of what he had done. He had shot _her _Castle. She closed the door behind her and got down on one knee so she could get face to face with the thug.

She slowly rested her gun on his stomach. This earnt a look of worry from the man. She could feel him shaking under her. His eye stared deep into her face, anticipating her next move and what she was going to do to him.

"Do you," she paused, "Have any idea what you have just done?"

She asked him quietly. Almost as a whisper. She held the gun and pointed it down on his chest. He breathing had slowly started to fasten. She moved it slowly up his chest and slowly onto his face; the gun making contect with whatever skin it came across.

"That man," She said, putting empasis and the word man, "you shot, was a man I cared very dearly about." By now the gun was up to his head and by the middle of his forehead.

By now the man could tell that her intentions with him were very bad. He would either come out of this situation either hurt even more or even more of a dead man.

"I am going to make you suffer so much." she said with an evil smile on her face. "I never let anyone hurt the people I love. Somehow you managed to do that. You shot the person I care about the most right now, three times in the stomach. Do you know what it feels like when someone you so dearly care about get hurt?"

She moved the gun to his stomach and pressed it in. This resulted in a loud yell from him. Kate smiled horribly.

She stood up and pointed the gun toward his head. This was it. This was the only way that she could get even with this guy. She was going to kill him for hurting _her _Castle. No one had the right to hurt anyone she cared about and get away with it.

Then the thought of Castle came into her mind. All of his good traits came flooding in. His smile, his jokes, his blue eyes but, most of all his compassion. He wouldn't want to kill the person that shot him. He would want the man to survive and go on trail and face Justice, this wasen't Justice; this was murder. Kate killing him made her just as bad as this man. Kate shivered at the thought of this. There was no way that she could become as bad as this man. She was a dectective. She was a governmental officer providing Justice. It was her job to provide Justice; not death.

Three shots rang out instantly with the sounds of the bullet casings hitting the floor following immediately. Uniformed policemen broke down the door to Kate standing over the man; him still being alive.

She had shot three shots around his head; each shot missing his skull by millimetres. He was lucky that Kate was such a good shooter, otherwise he would have been dead. Kate walked out of the room, calm. She had achieved some sort of satisfaction. The room was still quite. She stood still and analysed the people around her. They were all looking at her; as if she was something quite queer. Kate needed to get out of this place. She needed to see Castle. She needed to see if he was okay. This had been too much for her.

Kate rushed out the doors of the bank. The sounds of sirens and media reporters crashed over her like a wave. It left her dazed and looking for her car. She pushed and shoved the crowd aside and finally made it to her Crown Vic. She got in in and shut the door with extra force.

It was instant silence. No noise. No noisy reporters. No maddness. No Castle. She was so used to having Castle by her side, talking and cracking jokes. Tears came to her eyes and before she knew it she was crying again. Bawling her eyes out. She had not crying this much in a while. This last time she had cried this hard was when she lost her mother. And now she had lost Castle. He was fighting for his life. He had jumped infront of her to take three bullets. How much was this man going to do for her before he actually _did _die. She felt so guilty for not seeing how much he loved her over the years. She knew that he loved her but, she never expected him to take a bullet for her.

In this time of reflection, Kate realized something. She realized that she had lost her cool and calm. She normally prided herself in keeping a lid on her emotions and staying calm in moments of high stress. What had happened this time? She had been in situations where someone had been shot before. She had never reacted like this. This time it was different. She had lost control. She went over the edge. Her emotions had got the better of her. Why? She was so confused and worried. What was wrong with her? It was then she found her answer. She loved Castle. She couldn't lose him. He had always been there for her; no matter what. She loved him deep down inside. When his life flashed before hers, she couldn't take it anymore. Hiding her emotions in a little box from everyone had been too much. She had to admit it; she cared about Castle as much as he did for her. She would probably have take a bullet for him as well. She had lost too many people in her life and the thought of losing another person made her feel sick. She couldn't let that happen; especially when it was Castle. She loved him.

Kate finally caught hold of herself five minutes later and realised that the only thing that she could do now was be by his side and help him. She was finally prepared to take the lung into a relationship. She would start by being with Castle. Every single step upon this dreaded road of misfortune.

Wiping her aching eyes, Kate turned the car on and pulled out of the parking lot. She needed to be with Castle; not so much as to help him but, for her to be with him. She needed him. She needed him to stay with her in her life so she may remain happy. She needed him to stay with her so she didn't have to go to his apartment and deliever the speech that every officer hated. She needed him so that she didn't have to face Martha and Alexis.

**A/N: I hoped you liked it. The next chapter will be, different. Please don't forget to review and tell me how I could have done things differently. **


	3. Chapter 3

Kate burst through the doors of the emergency ward and ran up to the reception desk. Her mouth dry and sweat running down her sides, she asked the nurse at the front desk where to find Castle. The nurse indicated to the emergency operation room down the hallway to the right of Kate.

A sharp breath escaped Kate as she saw two people waiting there nervously. It was Martha and Alexis. How was Kate going to explain this to Alexis? How was she going to tell Castle's young teenage daughter that her father had pushed her out of the way to receive three bullets that were meant for her? A wave of guilt swept over Kate as she thought about this. Thanking the nurse Kate turned and started to walk down the hallway. She struggled to keep a lid on her emotions. She had to present herself in a reasonable condition to Alexis. She was sure that there would be many questions that were going to be fired at her; mainly from Alexis.

Kate stopped dead in her tracks as she saw Alexis rise from the seat she had taken. Their eyes met and locked. Kate could see deep in Alexis' eyes the pain and anger. Seeing it brought tears to her eyes but, she forced it back as she remembered that she had to be strong, for Castle.

It was Alexis that spoke first.

"How could you let this happen?" She asked innocently but, her voice shaking.

It was a small and simply sentence yet the words fell out from her mouth like sharp stones; each word cutting a scar into Kate. She could see the young teens eyes flare up and tears fill them up.

"I trusted you Kate," Alexis cried, "I trusted that you look after my dad. Beside Grams, I have no one in my life! You hear me Kate? No one! After him, I have no other father! He could die Kate!"

Alexis made up the distance between her and Kate and looked at her straight in the eyes.

"How could you?" She sobbed on; bashing her hands on Kate's chest. Kate had to put her hands in front of her to guard herself. She couldn't do it anymore. She couldn't keep the lid on her emotions anymore. She started crying with Alexis but, it was here that Martha stepped in. She pulled Alexis away from Kate, holding her back, reassuring her that everything would be just fine. Alexis struggled and started crying even more. Martha looked at Kate, her eyes red with sorrow. _'Help me Kate' _Martha asked her with her eyes.

Quickly wiping the tears from her eyes, Kate grabbed Alexis' two hands and held them in her own; like a mother would when their child was in distress. Thinking of a way to comfort the young woman, Kate did the only thing that she thought would calm her down. It was the only thing that Kate's mother would do to calm Kate down. In a quick movement, Kate embraced Alexis into a hug; a hug that only a motherly figure could apply. Kate could feel how surprised and shocked Alexis was when she hugged her but, immediately felt the hug being reciprocated. Kate could see Martha smiling in the background at how beautifully Kate had filled the roll of a mother in Alexis' life.

Letting go of Alexis but, still holding her hands, Kate looked Alexis straight in the eyes. Still seeing the pain and anger in her eyes, Kate knew she had to say something to make Alexis feel better.

"Alexis, please believe when I say this but, I am so sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen. I am as worried about your father as you are. He is also," She paused for a moment, "my life."

Seeing that Alexis realized what Kate was trying to saying, made Alexis smile and bury herself deeper within Kate's arms and hug her even more tightly. Kate smiled and closed her eyes. Right now this is what she needed. She needed someone who was in the same position as her. A person who was about to lose someone they loved. Having Alexis and Martha made her feel that much more better.

Alexis let go of Kate and looked her in the eyes once again. This time the pain and anger could not be seen, only sorrow.

"I'm sorry Kate," She said, "I should't have acted like that."

Kate just simply smiled back at the young girl and Alexis knew that she was forgiven.

"How is he doing?" Kate asked; the smile slowly fading from her face as she turned to face Martha.

"They took him straight into emergency surgery. I heard them say that the bullets were causing a significant amount of internal bleeding and that they had to stop that immediately. The main doctor had come out a little after that and said that they had removed the bullets but, the internal bleeding was still too much. He went back in quickly to help stop the bleeding."

Martha finished the sentence with the worry being heard. Kate put her hand on Martha's shoulder and pulled her into an embrace.

"I'm sure he will be fine, Martha." She said, "He has been my partner for three years and he has got to be one of the toughest ones I have ever had."

Martha nodded, acknowledging the attempt Kate had made to comfort her.

It was then the doctor came out of the operation room. The bottom half of his clothes were covered in blood and he looked worried and tired. Alexis and Martha rushed to the doctor before he could even get out of the doorway of the emergency room. They bombarded him with questions regarding how Castle was doing.

"He is fine and in a stable condition." He replied and a sign of relief could be heard from all three of the women there.

"You may go and visit him now but, please go one at a time. He has been through a lot and has lost quite a majority of his blood so the last thing he needs is to be covered with visitors. Most of his body will be aching at the moment as we had to put a lot of stitches into him to close up the bleeding. Touching him right now might not be the most comfortable thing for him now."

The doctor smiled and looked at each one of the women. Happiness succeeding every one of their faces, Kate could see that the doctor knew that his mission was accomplished.

"He woke up after the operation and asked for a Detective Kate Beckett," the doctor said looking at Kate, "I assume that, that is you?"

Kate cheeks flushed red and nodded. The fact that Castle woke up after the operation and asked for her first made her feel special; like she really did actually mean something to him.

"In that case," the doctor said; sensing the conversation was over, "I will leave you to fight for who sees him first."

Smiling the doctor walked away, leaving the women looking at each other. Without really even talking they all knew that it was going to be Alexis that saw Rick first.

Before anyone could stop her, Alexis had already ran into the room; the door swinging closed behind her. Kate smiled. The teenager that she had always cared for still had her father and he was fine. Most importantly she still had her partner. The thought of Castle being fine made her smile even more. She looked towards Martha and smiled.

"Thank you Kate," Martha said. "I don't think Alexis would have been fine if you didn't come here. You sometimes really feel in the place of her mother well. It really is a shame that you aren't."

Looking into Martha's wise eyes, Kate smiled and acknowledged the compliment. After the events of today, she really did wish that she was the wife of Castle and the mother of Alexis. Closing her eyes and resting her head on the wall behind her, Kate left the events of the rewind through her head. She wasn't worried or stressed anymore, she was happy and content. She had Castle. Nothing had happened to him. He was fine.

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. Had so many things happening at school that I just didn't have the time to write. There most likely wont be another chapter for another week due to the fact that I am leaving home for a while. Anyway, I hope you are liking where the story is going. I do need a beta reader so if you are interested please PM me and we can talk. If you have any ideas on where this story should go, please PM me once again and we can talk. I would love to hear what my readers are thinking. As always, don't forget to review as it keeps me motivated. The more reviews, the more chapters.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Well here it is, the next chapter in this story. I hope you enjoy it but, first I would like to address some things. Some of you have being saying that my characters have been OOC. This is fair enough and everyone has their opinion but, to justify myself I would like to say that this is a fanfiction and the purpose of this is to create your own stories. The other issue is my grammar. Now I can't always get it right and I always check it with spellcheck. My grammar might seem wrong as well but, it also might appear wrong due to my region which in this case is Australia. The slang and grammar might be a little different from what others use. Now that I have that out of the way, please continue on with the story. Don;'t forget to review, it keeps me motivated :)**

Kate woke up with weary eyes and a slight pain in her head. She looked at the clock. It was two o'clock in the morning. She looked around the E.R and saw no one except the occasional doctor walking down the hallway. She saw Martha and Alexis sitting next to each other on the terribly uncomfortable chairs, fast asleep. Alexis' head lay against Martha as they both slept with faint smiles upon their faces.

Kate smiled at how relieved she felt. The horrible events from the day before replayed in her mind. How Castle was shot in front of her. How those three bullets he took were really meant for her. How he shuddered in her arms after he had been shot. She remembered how she fell on her knees in the car park looking at the rear end of an ambulance; admitting that she loved Richard Castle. She remember the red faced Alexis that she had to confront. She remembered how angry she had been with herself. She remembered how close she had come to losing Castle.

Rubbing her hands over her face, Kate stood up and stretched. The coldness of her hands made the job of being fully awake quite easy. Looking towards the E.R room that Castle lay in, her heart skipped a beat.

Kate slowly made her way to the door of the room Castle was in; her feet slowly moving in stealth as to not wake anyone. She pushed the door open; trying not to make any noise. There, lay before her, was Castle. His body lay motionless but, his chest moving in a regular pattern under the sheets. Kate walked over to the visitor seat next to the bed and sat down. She couldn't help but, admire him in this state of sleep.

His eyes were closed, concealing his deep blue eyes. Kate stroked his jaw line and cupped her hand around his cheek. She could feel his rough cheeks under the soft skin of her hands. She ran her thumb over his eyelids as if to keep them shut. She could not believe that she was feeling her partner as he slept in front of her.

Suddenly, the motionless body that was there in the room moved and Kate withdrew her hand as quickly as it had gone there. Castle's face turned and his eyes fluttered open. Kate cupped her hand around Castle's cheek. He jumped at the sudden contact and looked at the direction it was coming from. Kate looked at him, his intense blue eyes staring back filled with surprise.

"Kate, you're okay," he said stumbling up from his laying down position.

"Yes Castle, I am fine. You saved me." She helped him up into a position that was comfortable for him to talk in. They both started at each other for a while; each absorbing the features of the other as if they hadn't met in years. It was nothing awkward, they were just happy to see one another alive and well.

Lifting her hands from her lap, Kate picked up Castle's hand and held it. She could feel the cold of his hand sting into hers. It didn't matter to her, she had Castle now. He was alive and well. Now matter what, she was going to be fine.

"When I saw the guy lift the gun and point it towards you," Castle started, "Nothing else made sense anymore. All I saw was you in danger I and knew that I had to fix it."

Castle shook his head and looked down at his hands that where now intertwined with hers. Knowing what he was talking about, Kate let him continue.

"If I had lost you Kate, I would not have been able to live with myself knowing that I could have done something to save you."

She let go of his cold hands and turned his face so that he was looking at her straight in the eyes.

"Castle, you have a young daughter and a mother who loves you very much. I would never ever want you to put yourself in danger for me. I have watched you almost die more times than what is healthy for me or for anyone. I don't think I could do it again; watching you almost slip away from me."

Smiling, Castle rested his head against the pillow behind his head.

"What have the doctors been saying?" asked Kate as she sensed the move in the conversation.

"They say I am set up for a full recovery and I should be discharged from the hospital within a week or so. It hurts quite a bit when I move but, besides that everything is looking to be on the bright side."

"So it looked like I will have to spend a week at the Precinct without you then." Kate replied trying to hold back the despair in her voice. It looked like she hadn't done quite a good job as Castle could clearly hear it in her voice.

"How bad could it be? You're always fussing about me. Think about it like a vacation from me." He smiled.

"Things have changed Castle," she said the small smile leaving her face, "Without you, work is boring and not interesting. You are the person that makes me want to leave my bed in the morning and come to work. Without you I might as well quit."

An acknowledging smile came to Castle's face. Kate stared back at Castle and smiled. This was different. The conversation that were now having were different from what they used to always have. Instead of the small talk and flirting they normally used to do, the words that they now spoke to each other actually meant something. The words that she had just said, she knew were true. It was Castle that made her get out of bed each morning and get to work. It was him that made her want to do her job and fight the world and its problems. Without him, Kate might have gotten lost a long time ago. It was because of him that she was able to stay grounded to earth.

Lifting her hands, Kate cupped both of Castle's cheeks and angled his face so that he was looking at her. Gently leaning forward, Kate closed her eyes and pressed a kiss against his soft but, cold lips. There was no fighting back the kiss as they both let each other in. It wasn't one of those kisses that normally lead to an adventurous night but, instead a kiss of compassion and care. The kiss was reciprocated from Castle with the same amount of effort. It was a kiss telling Castle that she was there for him and no matter what she would _always _be there. He had always been there for her in times of need and now it was her turn.

Withdrawing from the kiss, Kate opened her eyes and looked at Castle. She could see the surprise in his face but, it was also mixed with thanks.

"Thank you Kate," He whispered, "Thank you for being here."

She smiled at him gently.

"No, thank you Rick."

Kate moved her chair so that it was closer to the bed. Grabbing his hands, she smiled to him and rested against the chair. Looking deep into each others eyes, they both slowly feel asleep with the image of the other embedded within their minds.

**A/N: So I hope you liked this chapter, I didn't quite feel that it was as good as the pervious chapters but, that could just be my perfectionist side coming in. Please don't forget to review as it keeps me motivated. Tell me whether you want to continue the story from where it is or continue from two weeks later. Until then, enjoy reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Here's the next chapter in the series. Before I start I just would like to say thank you to everyone that reads and reviews my story. You are the people that keep me motivated. At the end of the last chapter I asked where you would like the story to be continued. Most said to continue right from where the story is but, I didn't have any ideas on what the two could do. I made a compromise and decided to continue the story off from the day Rick gets discharged. Its not too far into the future and its not exactly right from where we left off. I hope you can understand. As always, don't forget to review and enjoy the story. **

Kate had an extra jump in her step today as she walked down the halls of the hospital. She was walking at a brisk pace and not really paying any attention the doctors that walked past her with their own premeditated thoughts. Today was special day for her. Well, not for her exactly but, for Castle.

It had finally been a week since the shooting and it was time for Castle to leave the hospital. She had spent the last week at the precinct, alone, no Castle. She had finally come to appreciate the presence of him. Being in the precinct for a week without him made her wonder how she had done it before without him.

Coming up to the room where he was, Kate pushed open the doors. There was he was, standing up dressed in his blue jeans and his brown coat that he always wore. He turned around as he heard the door open.

"Kate, I see you made it in time" he said

"Of course I made it in time," she retorted, "When have I ever been late?"

"Well, I could name a few but, I might end up staying in the hospital"

Kate laughed and grabbed the bags that were laying next to his bed. Looking around she saw a bouquet of flowers Gina had sent. The were most roses but, the colors that they were in were some of the most exotic Kate had ever seen. Moving towards them, she lifted up the flap of the greeting card attached and read it.

"_My dear Rick, hope you get well soon -Gina_"

The way it was written made it feel like she was right there by his side with him but, the reality was that she wasn't. She then realized that see hadn't got anything for him. It left her feeling empty and guilty. The man had almost lost his life and that too was for her. What had she done to say thank you? Nothing. No flowers. Nothing.

"I see someone has sent you some flowers" said Kate in a tone that left the statement hanging in the air.

"Ah yes, that was Gina, she had some sent up to me while I was here." he replied promptly. "They are quite extravagant aren't they?"

"Oh yes of course, of course."

Rick turned around, and gave her one of his questioning looks, one she hadn't received in a while. It made her smile as she walked towards that door.

"You ready Rick?" she asked as she started to become impatient.

He nodded and walked towards the door. Before he could walk out, he stopped and looked around the room, observing every detail he could see. Putting her hand on his shoulder in a comforting way, she could see that something was wrong.

"Are you alright?" she asked, concern prominent in her voice.

"Yeah," he said his voice a bit shaky, "But, you know Kate. I almost lost my life in this room. I almost left my family and _you_ in this room."

"It's fine Castle, I know what you mean. I was here once." She winced at how the bad memories that came flooding into her mind. How she too had almost lost her life. How a bullet had almost punctured her heart and forced her to leave her family and friends.

"Yeah, it's quite overwhelming you know, when you recover. You look back and say to yourself, 'I survived that'. It has a sense of accomplishment to it but, that the same time it can scare you quite a bit."

All she could do was nod. There was no response she could say. All he needed her to do right now was for her to listen.

"You know, I even reckon I left my body for a while." he said looking down at his feet. He let out a short breath.

"And why may that be Mr. Castle?" she asked. "Did you see your life of fame and fortune flash before your eyes? Was the bright light talking to you?" He laughed. She was trying her hardest to change the topic but, it clearly wasn't working.

"No and yes. For a moment I did see everything go white but, it wasn't talking to me. I was getting scared and cold. I seriously thought that I was going to die. But, then I knew where I was."

"In your luxurious house in the Hampton's?" interrupted Kate once again desperately trying to change the course of the conversation.

"No again. Kate you're a detective you should be better that this," he looked at her. "I was in heaven, Kate. I knew it because you were there with me. You weren't your usual self; you were an angel. It was then I remembered to keep fighting. When I came back around and saw your face, I got scared for a moment. I saw your face and thought you were an angel welcoming me into heaven. Then I realized I was fine and you weren't shot."

Breathless, Kate wiped her eyes and gave Castle a thankful look. Without the thought passing through the thinking part of her mind, Kate leant in close and captured Castle in a breath taking kiss. It wasn't a kiss that you would give to your boyfriend or girlfriend but, at the same time it wasn't a kiss that you would give to a family member or relative. Breaking apart, Kate looked deep into the mesmerizing deep blue eyes of the man she was standing in front of.

"Richard Castle, that day that you were shot in front me, everything changed." She said. She was still close to him, even closer than what they had been before. She could feel his soft and calm breaths against her soft, moist skin. They were both looking deep into each others eyes; Kate into the deep blue and Castle into the gracious green.

"When I saw you fall to the floor, my heart fell with you too. It wasn't the same type of fall that I would have felt with anyone else. Rick, when you fell, I felt like I going to lose someone very important to me again. First my mother, then Royce, then Montgomery, and then you? I couldn't take it Rick. I can't keep this locked inside any longer. If you die without hearing this then my heart and life would be incomplete. Richard Castle, I love you."

With that she grasped Castle's lips with her own as she kissed him. Kate slipped her hand behind his head and pulled him closer in. From Rick's side their was no resistance; he was giving as much as he was receiving. They fought each other for dominance and control so that they other might let them in. They both struggled to feel and taste each other. Finally the need for air became too much and they both separated unwillingly.

"I love you with all my heart." She continued. "I have loved you since our very first case together. The way you grabbed me in that alley set something off in me. Ever since then I have always loved you. I might have not admitted it but, that was because I had never admitted it to myself. I never even let that thought cross my mind. I tried to hide my emotion by being with men I don't love; you were right Castle, you were right. Then you were shot and I realized it. The troubles of life cannot be dealt with all alone. Life is a game were you play it with a partner. Ou need a person that can be there for you no matter what. A person that is there for you when you fall down and is there for you when you need that extra push. That was you Rick. I had a partner the entire time, I just never realized it."

The look on his face was priceless as well as hard to describe. It was crossing between so many emotions at the same time, that it was hard to tell whether the news he had just heard was good or bad. There was the presence of sorrow and anger but, there also was understanding and happiness. She could tell that he was speechless. She took the opportunity to press on; Castle was hers and he had to know that.

"I have so much to tell you Castle. Right know the only thing that I can think of is how much I love you. I went crazy this week without you. There wasn't one moment in my day when I wasn't thinking about you. I wondered to myself, 'How ever had I done this without you?' Castle, I need you to understand this. I need to know that you love me too. Please if I am mistaken please let me know that. If I know that, I can stop right know and stop making a fool of myself. Please don't let these three years of our relationship go to waste. Castle, do you want this as much as I do? Please talk to me Castle!"

All he could do was stare at her. He was looking deep into her green eyes. She looked at his eyes and realized how glossy they were becoming. They had been staring at each other for a while before Castle stepped in.

"Kate." The word dropped from his mouth like the first raindrop of rain piercing the still water of a lake.

"Kate. I do love you, with all my heart. Since day one." That was all she needed. She enveloped Castle in a bone-breaking hug as they both embraced each other.

It was a few minutes before they left each other go. They both stared at each other admiring the other. They wondered how this would change their relationship, not only their private world but, at work and home. What were they going to call each other? What were they other going to think? This was all just too much for Kate to think about at the moment.

"So," Castle said, braking the silence. "Does this mean, you know, us, we are…"

"You really don't know when to shut up do you Castle?" She replied. She gave him a smile. It felt so good to do that again. It wasn't something she had done in a while. Reaching for his hand, Kate gestured towards the door.

"Come on Castle, let's go home." He smiled at the use of the word home.

"Don't you want to go and celebrate?" She asked in a sultry voice. The smile from his face dropped.

"Oh, dear detective, you don't play fair do you?" he said in his usual playful voice.

"Well, we will have to see, shan't we?" And with that Kate strode out the room with a very attentive Castle following behind.

**A/N: And that is the end of this chapter. I hope you liked it. I would just like to thank Atallis for the inspiration for this chapter. The next chapter might be the last in this series. Please let me know what you think in the reviews sections. As always, please don't forget to review as it keeps me motivated.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Sorry for the delay guys, school has just been really hectic and I wanted to get some time to concentrate on it. Anyway, here is the last and final chapter of my story. I hope you all enjoyed it. I have loved the feedback that I have gotten and I feel really welcome into the fanfiction community. I will be posting more stories but, the end has come for this one. On the bright side you can look forward to a very interesting ending. Thanks for the support.**

The hardest part was coming home with all their clothes on. The ride home was a tortuous ride as it was during the drive back that all the sexual frustration that had been present between the two finally came out. Leaving one hand from the steering wheel, Kate slide her hand down onto Castle's lap. She started stroking his thigh as she heard a tight and low moan escape his tightly closed lips. She saw him frown. She knew he couldn't and wouldn't let his honor be tarnished so quickly. Leaning in, Castle let his lips wonder the soft and delicate skin of Kate's. He started off at her cheek but, soon made his way down to the nape her neck. He started slowly nipping at her neck while kissing it. Kate almost swerved the car into the opposite lane. A low moan escaped Kate's lips.

'How can he be doing this to be so quickly?' she asked herself. She could slowly feel the pool of wetness developing at the crotch of her tight jeans.

It was only after ten minutes of torturous foreplay in the car that they arrived at their destination, Castle's Loft. Not wanting to stay far apart for long, Kate scrambled out of the car to meet Castle at his door. Pulling him out of the car she pushed him against it and took his mouth into a shattering kiss. Her lips meet his and before either of them knew it they were fighting for dominance over one another. Kate tried repeatedly to gain entry into the private club that was his mouth but to no avail. Castle was good; there was no doubt about that. After all he was experienced. Moving swiftly, Castle was quickly in Kate's mouth; his tongue journeying everywhere. She could tell that he was trying to memorize every second of this as well as fulfill every fantasy that he ever had about her. Breaking apart, the look on Castle's face changed.

"Oh shit." The two words fell from his mouth. Seeing the sudden change Kate stopped and managed to restrain herself.

"What's wrong Castle? Are you feeling alright? Are the wounds opening up again? Do we need to go back to the hospital?" Kate pounded him with questions. She quickly straightened out her clothes and hair and looked back at Castle. He laughed and smiled back at her concern. She could tell he wasn't trying to break the mood that they both in.

"I'm fine, don't worry. It's Alexis and Martha. They might be home today and look at the condition we are in. We would have to do a lot of explaining to get ourselves out of this." He said putting his hands on her shoulders. Laughing Kate pressed forward and planted a kiss on his lips leaving him with a confused look.

"Kate, Did you just unders-" Castle started. She quickly interrupted him before he could get any further.

"I think I might have to take you back to the hospital, Castle. Do you even know what the day is?" She looked at him and saw the cogs of his brains slowly starting to rotate.

"It's a 12:23 on a Tuesday. Alexis and Martha won't be home. Alexis will be at school and Martha will most likely be out."

Seeing that he found the logic in what Kate had said Castle continued.

"I still reckon we should make it to the loft in a presentable manner. What if my mother is home and we burst through the door, both half naked?" he exclaimed. Kate laughed at the look of horror that was clearly present in his blue eyes. But, she had to agree. Even though she had planned walk through the door of Castle's loft half naked, she knew it would be the best thing to do if Martha was home.

"Well, I don't see what we are doing here wasting time, Castle. Quickly now. Wouldn't want to spoil the mood now would we?" She asked in a dark, seductive tone.

"Katherine Beckett, one day I swear you _are_ going to kill me." He wined at her.

Laughing, she took his hand, locked it with hers and made their way to the elevator. Pressing the button for the lift, Kate looked at Castle, his deep blue eyes looking back. The man that was standing next to her was her partner. But, things were about to change. Soon he would be much more than just a partner. He would be the one to catch her when she fell, the one that would be there for her no matter what. It wouldn't be a one-way street either. The love and care that he showed her would be reciprocated back. Kate cherished the thought of being able to look after a sick or hurt Castle, if she ever let him get sick or hurt that was.

A loud ding was what distracted the two from each other. The elevator had reached the floor that they were on. Kate blushed a deep red as she realized that she and Castle had been staring at each other for a while. The grip on Castle's hands not wavering, Kate stepped on the elevator and pressed Castle's floor number. The doors shut with a silent thud in front of them as the engines pulled them upward with muffled whirring.

It was another loud ding distracted the two from their deep thoughts. The frantic mood that was present in the car was slowly fading away but, it was still ever present. Their hands entwined, the two stepped out of the elevator and walked to the door of the loft. Fiddling for the keys, Castle left Kate's hand. Her hand suddenly feeling cold, Kate become very aware of what her hand was doing and where it was. She didn't know what to do with it. Seeing the look on Kate's face, Castle quickly found the keys and swept up Kate's hands again. This was rewarded with a great smile from Kate; her white teeth peaking out from behind those delicate lips.

The door silently creaked open revealing an empty loft.

"Mother? Alexis?" Castle shouted just to make sure. Kate laughed silently to herself at how scared he was of being caught. Kate closed the door behind her and threw her jacket of the couch. She kicked off her heels leaving a reasonable height difference between them.

"Ashamed of me Castle? Don't want your mother and Alexis to see me?" Kate turned him around and pulled him close to her. She started playing with his collar and buttons and bit her bottom lip. She looked up at Castle whose face was filled with awe. Seeing that see was in control of the situation Kate continued to press onwards.

Slowly, she started pressing Castle against the wall behind him. Pressed against the wall, Kate swept up Castle's lips. The kiss was filled with passion and lust as they both fought for dominance. Castle had won once but, it was Kate's turn this time. Moving quickly, Kate was inside of his mouth in no time, tasting everything she could. She was matched with no resistance from Castle who let her have her way for once. Suddenly the need for air became too much for them both and they split from each other's lips reluctantly.

A quick moment was then shared between as they gazed into each other eyes. A millions words of passion and love was shared between Kate and Castle in those few seconds. A small smile grew on Castle's face as her looked into Kate's green eyes. Kate could tell that the mood was certainly back and that Castle wasn't going to waste a second of it.

Before she could protest or struggle, Castle swept Kate up into his arms. Too engrossed in the mood, Kate just let him have her way as she blushed, tinting her cheeks a soft red. She giggled and buried her head into Castle's shoulders. No one had shown her this much love in a while. Even her previous boyfriends, whom she had been hiding with, never showed this much compassion and love.

Never really showing his strength and muscular physic, Kate was taken a back at how bold and broad Castle was. She was upstairs and in his room in no time. Castle slowly, laid her to rest on his bed. 'The rumors are true; his bed is really comfortable', Kate thought to herself as he put her down. But, there was no rest for either of them. Immediately, Kate got of the bed and was pulling Castle's shirt over his head, leaving his normally tidy hair ruffled. She stopped moving and allowed Castle to have his turn as he pulled her top over her head.

In no time the two were left with only their under garments on. Stopping they both admired each other. Kate could see that Castle was living in one of his fantasies again. She smiled at the thought of Castle having fantasies of her. For herself, she was taken aback at the build of Castle's body. His shoulders were quite broad and his arms were equally big. How did he manage to hide this under those jackets?

Their eyes met and a smile escaped from both lips. Castle took a step closer towards Kate. She could smell his musky scent under his cologne. She looked up to him, smiling. Right now there was no other place she would be. Right now she only wanted to be with the man who had pushed his way into her life. It had been three years of partnership and friendship but, they both knew that there was always something else between them. She had let him stay with her even when he leaped over the line several times. There were so many times that she could have kicked him out or let him go but, she didn't. Nor did he. They were both meant for each other. He was the one that was there for her all the time. She had never had a person like that for a long time. After her mother's death she was mostly alone. Then this man found his way into her life and saved her from the jaws of the dark abyss that was going to swallow her whole. He brought light into her life with a few words. She couldn't help but, feel that she didn't deserve him.

Castle slipped his hands around her and pulled her close, chest to chest. She could feel the warmth radiating off him. Her eyes still locked with his, they both captured each other lips. This time it was a soft kiss. It was a small kiss that said a thousand words. She was trying to say thank you.

His arm resting on her back, Castle picked Kate up and rested her on the bed. Using just his two fingers, he undid the clasp of her bra pulling it away exposed her delicate soft breasts. His head dipped down to her chest as she felt him kiss her scar. Kate felt her eyes get watery but, she refused to ruin the moment. She put her hands around him pulling him closer. She felt his soft hands caress over the peaks of her breasts. She let out soft moan. He lifted his head up and captured Kate again in an amazing kiss.

Leaving his lips, Kate slid out of the only clothing she had left. The look that came upon Castle's face was priceless. She couldn't help but, but let out a small laugh.

"Haven't seen one before Castle?", Kate asked provokingly.

She was answered with a cheeky grin from Castle as his head disappeared between her legs. The next thing she felt was his tongue. He was working on her and he was doing a damn good job. Sliding up and down, in and out Kate started to moan. They were quite lucky no one was at home otherwise it would have become a very awkward situation. Castle's name started to become the mantra in the air as Kate started getting fiercer and louder. She wasn't sure how long she could hold back. She could already feel drops of her juice slipping out from inside of her.

Just when she thought she couldn't hold back any longer she felt the contact slip away and saw Castle's head lift up from between her legs. She could see that he knew how much he had just pushed her. She wasn't going to let him win that easy. Using her skills as a NYPD detective, Castle was soon on his back and the positions were reversed. Quickly discarding his jocks, Kate went to work. She could feel him tense under her as her head bobbed up and down. She could hear him moaning her name as she continued on. She could start to taste his juice in her mouth, as she got more aggressive. Slowing down, she slid down as far as she could feeling him at the back of her throat. She was rewarded with a loud moan and an arched back from him. Bringing her head back up, Kate gasped for air while maintaining a straight face. Leaving his lower body, Kate slithered up to him and forced her way into his mouth.

She was soon once again on her back as she felt the tip of Castle at her entrance. He kept it there for a while, stroking it up and down making her moan. She couldn't take the teasing any longer.

"You just gonna stay there Castle? Not come in?" She asked her voice becoming fierce. The look on his face didn't change but, stayed compassionate and worried.

"Kate," he said in a questioning tone, "Are you sure? I don't want to-" He was cut off by Kate once again.

"Castle, I love you. You are the one I am looking for. I have never been so sure." She said. And with that he slid into her, parting her entrance. Kate let a loud moan escape her. She felt herself stretch and could feel him throbbing inside of her as he slid in and out of her. He started slow but, gradually got faster and faster. Before long they both had reached their climax. She could feel the insides of herself clench around Castle's tool as they both rode out the juices that came torrenting out of them. Kate felt her eyes almost roll back as she half screamed, half moaned Castle's name.

As soon as it had come, it had left. Castle collapsed next to Kate as they both tried to regain their breath. Tired, Kate turned around to face Castle and snuggled into his chest. It was then the darkness of slumber enveloped them both.

Kate woke up to find two blue orbs looking down at her.

"Hey you," Castle said pushing a strand of hair behind Kate's hair.

"Hey," was the only reply she could give.

"Do you know how beautiful you are when you are asleep? How your chest rises and falls? Kate, you are truly amazing." She felt the warmth of blood rush to her face. She hid her face in Castle's check. This warranted a small chuckle from Castle.

The moment that they were in was perfect. Kate knew that she wouldn't change it for anything in the world right now. She sighed a content sigh as she felt happiness that she hadn't felt for a while seep back into her.

"Kate, The day you got shot I saw my world flash before my eyes." The smile from Kate's face instantly dropped as she realized where this was going. She couldn't stop him now.

"I couldn't let you die without my saying all those things I have held back. An now that we are 'this', I must tell you something." Kate felt the air from her lungs get sucked out.

"You won't remember this Kate but please listen to me. When you were on the ground, bleeding, in my arms, I said something that I held back from you for a long time. Kate, I love you." With this Kate, looked up at him. He was wearing a smile that couldn't be described. The smile was one of a five year olds face when he got ice cream.

"There is just no other way to put it Kate. I really love you. Since day one, I _always_ have. You won't remember this because you said you don't remember this. So I'm telling you now. I love you. You mean the world to me. I can't get through one day without talking or seeing you. You drive me crazy Kate. I am in love with you." With this Castle brought Kate's lips to his and they both met each other. This kiss wasn't like the others. It was a simple kiss that said many things. It wasn't like the kiss that they had shared during the sex or during the foreplay. This kiss was the type of kiss you would give to someone you really love. To a person that means the world to you.

"I love you too Castle. _Always_." Lost for words, this was the only thing that she could manage to let out.

Smiling, Castle pulled her into his chest as they both rested. Kate wasn't smiling though. She held back tears as guilt came flooding into her. The fact was that she had heard him and she had kept it away from him. If he came to know about this, it would destroy him and destroy _them_. A silent tear slipped down her cheek but, it was for all the wrong reasons.

**A/N: So there it is the final chapter. I hope you liked it. Please don't hate if the sex scene wasn't up to scratch. I tried my best. And also don't hate for the ending. Being me, I had to leave somewhat of a cliffhanger. As always don't forget to review. Once again thank you for the support and encouragement that has got me here.**


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